Premier Old Gates

The location was the only pleasant part of our stay. I was there for a few days with foreign guests, and none of us had a good experience. Breakfast seemed stale, from the bread to the cucumber. With so few guests, the hotel apparently didn't replenish the food. The room was dusty, and the sheets were itchy. They also surprised us with an extra charge when my sister stayed in the same room, without telling us about the rule beforehand. When we asked to see the policy, they showed us a random unsigned Word file. My guests were on a business trip and faced unnecessary restrictions on using the room for meetings. Unlike many hotels in Baku, this one charges extra if you bring someone into the room for more than 10 minutes. It was very inconvenient. I wouldn't recommend the experience at all.

Decent value for money, and the support staff helped me avoid another taxi scam in a country where rampant cheating can really sour your mood. Breakfast was average. The hotel sits right on the tourist lanes in the old city, so the lack of soundproofing can be a pain. Vehicle access in the area costs an extra 2Manat. Our toilet pot was loosely fitted. On a hot day, the central air conditioning was set to warm, and the operator couldn't do anything about it. There was also no exhaust switch for the toilet ventilation.

Friendly staff were accommodating, and the rooftop breakfast had a decent spread with a great view of the Philarmonia Garden. The room was a sufficient size and had excellent heating. The location is fabulous, right in the old town, with a back exit to Philarmonia Garden metro station.

The staff were courteous, and the location and Wi-Fi were good. But the stay had plenty of problems: breakfast was extremely average, and the sheets felt itchy and hospital-like. The dark, dingy carpets were disappointing in a country known for carpets. The tablecloths were terribly dirty and itchy, and we got insect bites from mites or whatever was there. There was no 24-hour restaurant room service, and the nightly rate was expensive. They charged us for a sheet that was already stained. It may be four-star by state standards, but not international ones. Room service left the window open, and cabbies kept asking for an extra 2 AZN for the toll gate into the old city area.